We hear a lot about trauma. But it's not always clear what it means. If you want to know a bit more about trauma and how I help clients to overcome it, you’ve come to the right place.

I outline why trauma happens and its impacts – focusing on post-traumatic stress (PTSD) and Complex post-traumatic stress (C-PTSD).

I explain how I work with both in my practice, including adopting a safe and holistic approach along with the techniques I use.

So, if you’d like to learn more about trauma and what to expect when working with me –  read on!

What is Trauma?

Disturbing experiences either as an adult or child, can result in trauma when they’re overwhelming, difficult to escape, and seriously threaten physical, emotional, and psychological safety.

A long time ago, staying in tribes and remaining vigilant to threats from predators ensured human survival. Our minds and bodies have evolved to escape from threats to our safety (think sabre-toothed tiger!) by running away or fighting if we can.

But what if there is no hope of active resistance? In this situation our bodies freeze, and our minds protect us by dissociating from what’s happening.

Yet without support that allows us to return to safety, we’re at risk of becoming traumatised and experiencing post-traumatic stress.

Post-traumatic stress (PTSD) and Complex PTSD (C-PTSD)

As alluded to above, not all traumatic experiences result in trauma. But if it does happen then the impacts of PTSD usually cluster into three main areas:

PTSD:

1. Re-experiencing – experiences are relived as if they’re still happening e.g. a flashback or strong physical/emotional response to something which reminds you of the experience. But you may not always be able to link the feelings to a past event.
2. Avoidance – It’s natural to want to avoid reminders of any past trauma. It might include avoidance of places, people, and related thoughts and feelings. And unhealthy ways of coping might be used to numb (avoid) pain.
3. Feeling threatened – hypervigilance to monitor your surroundings for any perceived threats. E.g. You may be easily startled or highly sensitive to other’s facial expressions and tone of voice.
4. PTSD can also include a fourth area, which is dissociation. It can feel like disconnection from the body, emotional numbness, and not being ‘there’.

C-PTSD:

There’s a difference between trauma experienced as a single event and that which is ongoing involving multiple events and repeated over a longer period.

Complex trauma or C-PTSD happens when threatening experiences are repeated and inescapable. E.g. as in any abuse or neglect experienced during childhood.

In addition to PTSD impacts, C-PTSD also includes:

• Emotional dysregulation – moving between states of heightened anxiety and numbness/depression.
• Negative self-concept – low sense of self-worth and lack of a coherent identity. This can impair beliefs and thinking.
• Interpersonal issues – It’s difficult to develop trusting adult relationships when you’ve been betrayed, abused, or abandoned in the past.

Both PTSD and Complex PTSD are caused by an inability to act and prevent being exposed to the traumatic event(s), followed by a lack of support e.g. not being believed.

There’s nothing wrong with you

It’s unfortunate that PTSD and C-PTSD are labelled as ‘disorders’, because traumatic stress is a normal response to a traumatic experience. It doesn’t mean you’re disordered, which makes it sound like a personality defect.

I would say PTSD and C-PTSD are adaptations rather than disorders.

But it’s worth remembering that use of the word ‘disorder’ comes from the medical world of psychiatry, which is focused on symptoms and diagnostic labels.

Safe trauma therapy

I work with trauma differently to general talk therapy because the emphasis is NOT on just talking about traumatic experiences but about helping clients to process and cope with its impacts, i.e. those mentioned above.

As trauma is linked to past events, many people think that we need to focus on talking about the events themselves to process the trauma. But doing this can activate stress responses.

And in high states of distress, the part of the brain that allows us to distinguish between past and present goes ‘offline’, propelling us back into the trauma.

Babette Rothschild uses the metaphor of learning to apply the brakes before using the accelerator.

So, it’s not that traumatic events can never be processed, just that it happens only once we’ve worked on containing emotions i.e. when clients feel able to tolerate them.

Experiencing trauma increases the need to feel safe. I focus on fostering safety with my clients before processing any traumatic history.

The role of attachment

I want to say something about attachment because it plays a crucial role in preventing, causing and overcoming the impacts of PTSD and Complex PTSD.

As humans, we’re wired to seek comfort and connection with others. And we regulate ourselves emotionally through soothing voices and faces, which calm our nervous systems.

I recently did some training with renowned trauma specialist Bessel van der Kolk, who told the story of how people running away from the Twin Towers on 9-11 not only escaped the event but avoided being traumatised by experiencing support from others.

But while attachment provides support, it can also be a source of terror.

Abuse and neglect in early development (usually in the first 3 years) makes it difficult for a child to become securely attached – creating chronic stress – which increases the likelihood of C-PTSD.

In therapy, I help clients to regulate their emotions by providing tools and techniques, but also a place of calm and compassionate acceptance that provides a different experience of relationships.

One that involves being seen, heard, and understood.

A phased approach

To help clients process and cope with the impacts of trauma, I work in a phased way based on Herman’s trauma model. This allows me to emphasise safety, which is especially pertinent for C-PTSD.

But these phases overlap, so we could be working in more than one stage at a time.

I also work holistically, integrating cognition, emotions, and somatic experience.

Here’s an outline of how I work at each phase:

Phase One

It’s important to build a collaborative approach because those who’ve experienced trauma have sometimes felt oppressed.

I promote awareness of the connection between mind and body. And I apply understanding from neuroscience to aid clients’ ability to manage emotions so they can feel safer in the present.

Using cognition comprehend trauma responses and why they occur, is a powerful way of normalising them and gaining perspective. E.g. An understanding of what happens to the brain during trauma.

The goal is to help you remember trauma safely, but not re-experience it.

Phase Two

Once emotions are more tolerable, the prospect of processing traumatic experiences becomes less frightening.

This doesn’t necessarily involve just verbalising traumatic events. It involves coming to terms with the experience and feelings about it. I sometimes use creative methods to help clients access and work through emotions, memories, and experiences.

Cognition is important in this phase too. E.g. identifying distorted thinking patterns or beliefs.

But so is awareness of physical sensations because these relate to how trauma gets stuck in the body. I encourage clients to notice what might be happening physically so that I can offer strategies to help them release emotion.

Read these blogs to learn more:

How connecting to our bodies can help to resolve anxiety

How movement helps to release trauma from the body

Phase Three

In this phase I help clients to consolidate any gains that we’ve made in therapy and encourage them to cultivate a different, more hopeful future.

Trauma can hopefully become a difficult part of the past which no longer has a detrimental impact on the present.

There is acceptance that it happened but not that you’re to blame. This understanding improves self-esteem and permeates all aspects of life. E.g. it might feel possible to have healthier relationships.

Ultimately we work towards helping you feel able to move forwards.

I hope that this blog has been informative in providing a good overview of trauma and how I help clients to overcome it in my therapy practice.

There isn’t one approach that works better than any other with trauma therapy, especially C-PTSD. That’s why I integrate the different approaches into phased trauma work. As mentioned, these include top-down cognitive work and bottom-up techniques to focus on emotional regulation and safety.

Read my other blogs to learn more about the far reaching impacts that trauma can have on different areas of our lives:

Three ways that modern work can trigger childhood trauma and how therapy can help

Two common behaviours that are linked to childhood trauma

Does this resonate with you?  Trauma therapy could really help you to regain some control over your life. When you feel ready to seek support, please get in touch by using the contact details below. Or feel free to book a call with me to find out more.